Category: Activism

Jim Larkin and Michael Lacey are two journalists who have always been fighting for freedom of speech, migrant rights, civil rights, and human rights. They co-founded the Phoenix New Times and Village Voice Media where they expose grave abuses and misconducts by the same officials that are supposed to protect the people but are doing the opposite.

The Frontera Fund came to be when Michael Lacey and Jim Larkin came to know of the existence of grand jury proceedings that ordered reporters journals about articles and news reports about Sheriff Joe Arpaio. What’s worse is that they also discovered that the grand jury issued subpoenas that seek information on private citizens who read Jim Larkin and Michael Lacey’s Phoenix New Times. These were all clear threats to freedom of speech, freedom of the press and right to privacy because it gives the very accurate impression that even private citizens who just read Jim Larkin and Michael Lacey’s exposes would be in a bad light to the grand jury. Jim and Michael decided to expose all of these, and for that, they were illegally arrested.

If Jim Larkin and Michael Lacey were men were any other kind of people, like those who would let it go, they would have just gone out quietly. But Jim and Michael decided to sue the Maricopa County, and for that, they received a $3.75 million settlement reward money, and with this money, they plan to fund all the groups that fight for freedom of speech, migrant rights, civil rights, as well as human rights that come to them.

The fight for these rights has reached its crucial stages especially now with how much the political landscape has changed. Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA which protects hundreds of thousands of children just got repealed very recently, and this means very uncertain times for the undocumented children.

It is estimated that around 800,000 individuals were protected by DACA but now that it has been repealed, who knows how much uncertainty and fear all these children are feeling right now. DACA prevents the deportation of undocumented youths who meet specific requirements or prerequisites. It also promotes opportunities for them like a social security number, and a chance for a legal job in the US. In a lot of states, it even allows these youths who are just in the country for a better life and opportunity, to have access to an in-state-tuition fees and even a driver’s license.

DREAMers, the leading group that is fighting for DACA is now being empowered and funded by the Lacey and Larkin’s Frontera Fund. Lacey and Larkin also provide advice to them as well as crucial information. According to studies, 95% of DACA beneficiaries study, work on both. They contribute to the country with the taxes in colleges and universities they enrolled in. Most of the 95% DACA beneficiaries get their earnings from the advancement of their education, buying cars, & buying homes, or starting up their own businesses.

For their part, DREAMers admit that they are also scared for the welfare and psychological condition of the poor children that will be affected by the repeal of DACA. But this is also the time to be brave and vigilant, so they are calling their allies for this fight, and their rallying point is the Frontera Fund.